Options Holding Up Orders

[cj8scrambler]

The whitepaper attached to the first post of the GLADIATOR ORDER, BUILD, DELIVERY PROCESS GUIDE is a great detailed explanation of how they build Jeeps at the Toledo plant. That plant is unique because they contract large sub-components like the body, but their sub-contractors are on the campus. It goes into great detail about the timing these contractors have to meet in order to build the next Jeep in the queue.

I agree that Stellantis doesn't intentionally batch builds. But in today's reality of part shortages, certain options cause build delays and end up getting batched when the parts are available.

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[ShadowsPapa]

The whitepaper attached to the first post of the GLADIATOR ORDER, BUILD, DELIVERY PROCESS GUIDE is a great detailed explanation of how they build Jeeps at the Toledo plant. That plant is unique because they contract large sub-components like the body, but their sub-contractors are on the campus. It goes into great detail about the timing these contractors have to meet in order to build the next Jeep in the queue.

I agree that Stellantis doesn't intentionally batch builds. But in today's reality of part shortages, certain options cause build delays and end up getting batched when the parts are available.

Yeah, like Kuka body, Mobis chassis........ there's a number of them. Casting, tool and die, frame, body and more.
It's not that much different from the past, Fisher, Dayton Electric, Coleman wiring harnesses, etc.

Yes, they aren't built in batches, like all of the Rubicons with 6 speed this day or this week, in ordinary times, there is no batching. These days it depends on supplies. As long as they have the parts, they aren't batched. The only reason there would be a delay is if they didn't HAVE those parts on hand, then builds have to be rescheduled and that may cause 100 6 speed equipped Jeeps to be made next Tuesday - but that's not on purpose.

If we weren't in this year, if you go back to 2019, there was no batching, things were made as fast as lines and people allowed, and generally in the order that the orders came in.
This year - if there's any delay, it's supply, not planned.

 

[ZoMojave]

Your dealer has obviously never visited a car factory, watched them being built, or known people who worked in the factory - painting and building.

Today they do make "runs" of colors in a specific booth - but not that long ago, they literally painted different colors in the same booth, switching color hoses on the guns, then it came to the point the guns had multiple sources. A guy who worked painting at AMC/Jeep years ago explained why when you pulled interior panels off by the back seat, the color didn't match the exterior - they shot the blue that was in the gun onto those panels, switched hoses, then proceeded to paint the car orange on the outside, door jambs, engine bay and so on. I asked - hey, why are the panels inside my GREEN car behind the trim painted haphazardly with orange? They emptied the gun there, or in a grate in the floor and switched hoses.
That was years ago - but even then, they didn't do "today is for red Eagles" day, tomorrow we'll do brown.
And some plants have multiple paint lines, etc. - so how they do it varies. Some even used to do the bodies in one building them move them to final assembly. I think those days are pretty well gone, though....... it was expensive to do that.

Seriously, no, they don't make all one trim level, all one color, all one this or that option in the same day, even the same hour. The parts are inventoried, staged and handed out automatically via QR codes, bar codes and other methods. When the car, truck or Jeep comes along that is supposed to have a 7" radio, that radio is right there for the employee to grab and install and it's scanned or otherwise logged in. Grills - the grill for that VIN is ready to go and if the next one is a blue Overland, it gets the blue Overland grill that's next in line ahead of the Red Rubicon grill.


They were doing red ones today and someone screwed up. That will get them a visit from the supervisor.

OK, what moron threw that white one in there, today is silver day -

Just painted and dried, inspection, buffing, etc. - all one color as the color of the day is black -

What color was this morning's run supposed to be again?

No wonder Jeep is so screwed up, they are all color blind

But enough about Jeep, today we make black cars - hey, who is the joker who threw that red one in there????

Even Honda employees can't tell white from blue............

I guess auto makers around the globe haven't got the directive yet - one color at a time, guys!

Just stating what my dealer told me. Besides these factory photos do not represent what is going on today in production facilities anyway as most of these photos are five years old or older and some contain Asian makes that have nothing to do with Jeep production.

Perhaps you may be incorrect this one time?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just stating what my dealer told me. Besides these factory photos do not represent what is going on today in production facilities anyway as most of these photos are five years old or older.

Perhaps you may be incorrect this one time?

LOL - dealers have no clue! Most aren't even trained on what they sell, let alone how they are made. I'd bet there's maybe a whopping dozen who have been inside an auto plant.

Besides, he dates were 2019 on some (so that may mean 2020 model year), and if you want to look, there are videos and photos out there of GLADIATORS being made - those are 5 years old, too?
Doesn't matter even if they were 4 or 5 years old - that is exactly what's going on today - in fact, FCA has massive newer facilities, with a 3rd floor dedicated to body/paint.
(I checked, some are dated 2018, some 2019, so not that old)

Dealers are too often full of crap. I've been through facilities and the only company I've seen that makes runs of one color and has only one color on the line at a time is one here in Iowa - John Deere.
You'd believe a dealer?
Dealers sell and push product (and they make excuses to explain away things they don't understand at times)
I've been in the auto world for decades, and have quite a few contacts and friends who have worked building and painting cars and trucks.
And if you cared to look - you can get some really current detailed info on the latest FCA facilities. They are amazing and have won silver as far as world manufacturing facilities - state of the art.

 

[ZoMojave]

A single picture of a Gladiator production line out of ten doesn't justify your statements. It was most likely in 2019 when production began. Apples compared to Oranges to what's happening today in 2022. And isn't this the discussion?

Papa can't be the authority on EVERYTHING.

 

[Geoarch]

According to my dealer they do production "runs" of colors. Not that I planned this out, but I ordered my JTM in Bright White and got lucky to hit it at the right timeframe.

There does seem to be some disagreement on certain options holding up builds. No real way to confirm that but again, my dealer told me to not order some things including Manual trans, Spray-in bedliner, Aux switches, Hardtop headliner, Splash mats and Tow hitch due to availability issues. I trusted them and placed the order with some modifications. I was on the fence about a manual trans anyway and can certainly live with an auto. I have already added the other Mopar items on my end and saved $$ (hundreds on the class IV hitch alone).

Transportation issues are still very real according to what I have heard. My dealer is still waiting on a 2022 Rubi that was ordered in December. They stated that it is still sitting at a storage lot. Keep in mind, this was ordered for stock and not a customer sold unit.

I ordered mine on 2/14 and it was built in 5 days then on a railcar within a week after that. Took delivery from the dealer on 3/15.

Even if you have to wait it is still worth it. I would order from the area that you will be moving to. It can all be done from a distance. Cross your fingers and order away!

That makes sense given my order that included everything your dealer said not to order, including the MT. Ordered 2/25, now built and sitting on the lot in Toledo waiting to be loaded on a train. That's 50 days and counting, and yours was 31 days to the dealer. That's a population of two though, so a small sample. Still it makes you think that a Gladiator with fewer options would or could be built faster makes sense. I did order Bright White though!

JT Rubicon - JTJS98
3.6L V6 Pentastar engine with 6-speed manual transmission - 23R
Bright white clear coat - PW7
Premium cloth bucket seats - D5X9
Aux switch group - AM2
Advanced safety group - ALP
Enhanced adaptive cruise control (not ordered, included) -
MOPAR grab handle kit - CSV
LED lighting group - AD6
Cold weather group - ADE
Trailer tow package - ABR
MOPAR all-weather slush mats - CWA
Black 3-piece hard top - HT1
MOPAR hardtop headliner - CHD
Steel front bumper - MC6
Roll-up tonneau cover - CSD
MOPAR satin black grille - MHJ
MOPAR spray-in bedliner - XMF
MOPAR plastic door sill guards - CLP
Locking lug nuts - XJC
Safety group - AJ1

2/25/2022 - Ordered (Larry Miller Jeep, Albuquerque, NM)
2/28 - VIN
3/5- Parts scheduling
3/7 - D1 - scheduled for production - estimated ship date 4/17
4/4 - E- entered framing
4/5 - F- paint
4/5 - G - Trim
4/6 - I - Completed build process, pending quality inspection. No dealer ETA has been provided.
4/7 - Build sheet published
4/14 - J = vehicle passed final inspection but not released to carrier (waiting to be loaded on train). No dealer ETA has been provided, or window sticker.

 

[Geoarch]

LOL - dealers have no clue! Most aren't even trained on what they sell, let alone how they are made. I'd bet there's maybe a whopping dozen who have been inside an auto plant.

Besides, he dates were 2019 on some (so that may mean 2020 model year), and if you want to look, there are videos and photos out there of GLADIATORS being made - those are 5 years old, too?
Doesn't matter even if they were 4 or 5 years old - that is exactly what's going on today - in fact, FCA has massive newer facilities, with a 3rd floor dedicated to body/paint.
(I checked, some are dated 2018, some 2019, so not that old)

Dealers are too often full of crap. I've been through facilities and the only company I've seen that makes runs of one color and has only one color on the line at a time is one here in Iowa - John Deere.
You'd believe a dealer?
Dealers sell and push product (and they make excuses to explain away things they don't understand at times)
I've been in the auto world for decades, and have quite a few contacts and friends who have worked building and painting cars and trucks.
And if you cared to look - you can get some really current detailed info on the latest FCA facilities. They are amazing and have won silver as far as world manufacturing facilities - state of the art.

Yeah, Bill, I've seen the videos for Wrangler and Gladiator production. It's fascinating as well as educational. Check out the Pentastar factory too. I bought a BMW Z4 in 2015 (great car) and picked it up in Munich, and drove it to the factory in Regensburg were we got a tour. When I looked at the Jeep factory videos, it was just about the same system. All colors were assembled on the line, and in the BMW case, more than one model. At least at the South Plant in Toledo it's all Gladiators.

 

[ZoMojave]

That makes sense given my order that included everything your dealer said not to order, including the MT. Ordered 2/25, now built and sitting on the lot in Toledo waiting to be loaded on a train. That's 50 days and counting, and yours was 31 days to the dealer. That's a population of two though, so a small sample. Still it makes you think that a Gladiator with fewer options would or could be built faster makes sense. I did order Bright White though!

JT Rubicon - JTJS98
3.6L V6 Pentastar engine with 6-speed manual transmission - 23R
Bright white clear coat - PW7
Premium cloth bucket seats - D5X9
Aux switch group - AM2
Advanced safety group - ALP
Enhanced adaptive cruise control (not ordered, included) -
MOPAR grab handle kit - CSV
LED lighting group - AD6
Cold weather group - ADE
Trailer tow package - ABR
MOPAR all-weather slush mats - CWA
Black 3-piece hard top - HT1
MOPAR hardtop headliner - CHD
Steel front bumper - MC6
Roll-up tonneau cover - CSD
MOPAR satin black grille - MHJ
MOPAR spray-in bedliner - XMF
MOPAR plastic door sill guards - CLP
Locking lug nuts - XJC
Safety group - AJ1

2/25/2022 - Ordered (Larry Miller Jeep, Albuquerque, NM)
2/28 - VIN
3/5- Parts scheduling
3/7 - D1 - scheduled for production - estimated ship date 4/17
4/4 - E- entered framing
4/5 - F- paint
4/5 - G - Trim
4/6 - I - Completed build process, pending quality inspection. No dealer ETA has been provided.
4/7 - Build sheet published
4/14 - J = vehicle passed final inspection but not released to carrier (waiting to be loaded on train). No dealer ETA has been provided, or window sticker.

I have ordered five new Mopar vehicles of different types in the last 12 years from this professional (and good friend) with over 30 years in the business. I trust his knowledge concerning these things. To stereotype all dealer reps as not "having a clue" is incorrect.

My JTM description on my profile is exactly how I ordered mine. Fairly minimal. Granted, I may have gotten very lucky with my timeframe but there may be some truth to what my dealer rep stated to me at build out time in February.

I just post my personal experiences, not to go on and on with theories.

 

[ecidiego]

I am looking at ordering a Mojave with these options:
auto
select track
led package
blind spot
advanced cruise control
front trail cam
bed liner
tonneau cover
black hardtop
tow package
cold weather package
Color undecided but not white

any of these options delaying orders or causing orders to take longer delivery times?

Thanks

I strongly recommend the Aux switches. They suck to add later. Even if you can't think of a reason for them you'll be glad they're there if you ever do.

 

[GregMG79]

I ended up getting one off the lot. Could wait due to losing my company car last week. Overall I am happy, but wish I had the blind spot monitoring. Will just have to use mirrors like the olden days. ?

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